Bruce set to sign new deal

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce is set to sign a new contract with the Midlands club within the next 48 hours.

Bruce still has two years remaining of his current deal but the City chief was promised a new contract after steering the club to promotion last May and is optimistic of finalising details over the weekend.

Bruce, who is expected to sign a lucrative rolling contract to further extend his five-and-a half-year spell at St Andrews, said: "There are talks going on about a new contract. I have been talking about a new one since we got promoted. I hope we can finalise something in the next couple of days. A rolling contract? Yes."

Bruce has performed wonders with Birmingham since taking charge from Trevor Francis in November 2001.

He earned City instant promotion to the elite and kept them there for four years before they were relegated at the end of the 2005-2006 campaign.

The City board kept faith with Bruce and he re-vamped the squad and finished runners up behind Sunderland in the Coca Cola Championship last season.